Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,73
seconds for a strategic pause before I delivered the killing blow that would get just the reaction I wanted. I hadn’t spent all of my childhood and adolescence teasing Zora for nothing. I knew how to get her goat, and I needed her fired up, off-balance, and talking if I was going to pry information out of her. “God knows you’re somehow even more gorgeous then I’d remembered. But I think you need a little more sleep. Just to round out a few exhausted edges.”
Of course, I knew Zora was beautiful. But I’d also noticed that something had diminished her glow and left her obviously sleep-deprived and anxious. I needed her to take care of herself, to turn her attention to herself. It worried me, seeing her this tired and . . . desperate? Teasing her would be the most effective route to persuading the truth out of her, and in short order.
She gasped like we were in some Victorian melodrama. I choked back laughter at her bewildered expression. Yep. Just need to keep her outraged. Keep her talking.
There was a lot I needed to know.
“What a shitty thing to say.”
“Sounds like you’re in a shitty situation. And who are you, Oscar the Grouch?” I cast a look around her office. “Since when you do like living in a trash can?”
“You know what, Nick?” Her eyes narrowed in just the way I remembered and my heart kicked an extra beat. Ah. Just like old times. Back then, this kind of spark ignited the best kind of fun, the most exquisite pleasure.
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
“You can go and—”
“What kind of trouble are you in?”
She hesitated. “I—”
“Start with the truth. Save us both some time, I’ll find out anyway. For a modest donation, those thirsty development folks’ll sell you out in a heartbeat.”
“What do you care?” Her head tilted, flattened curls going skyward as her mouth screwed up. “You couldn’t get out of here fast enough all those years ago, you never even looked back. Now you wanna carry my burdens? Now you care so much about what’s going on, when you couldn’t be bothered, didn’t at least have the courtesy to tell me where you’d disappeared to in the first place? Get out. And I mean that.”
I leaned forward, paperwork forgotten.
Finally. This was the fight we’d both been spoiling for.
And I wanted it. I wanted to see what awaited us both on the other side.
“I left you a note. I told you I was coming back. You sent the ring back, you. That was all you.”
“It was two years later when I sent that ring back,” she screeched, and for a moment I thought she would throw her blanket at me in her rage. “What did you think? That I’d put my life on ice until you decided you were ready to start something up again? And you’d more than moved on before I even sent the ring back.”
What was she talking about? “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nick.” She buried her head in her hands. “I’m not inclined to review your history with redheads in coffee shop kitchens.”
What the actual fuck was she talking about?
“What are you talking about? I’ve never even dated any redheads. I don’t even know any—”
She pushed back the covers and stood. “I don’t have time for any of this. I need to get to the community center—” She paused. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
My lungs slammed shut. My dick perked up.
You rang?
God was punishing me. That was it. He was using Zora to punish me right now for every broken promise, every misdeed.
“Zora. You’re not wearing any pants.” The words drifted out on the current of a painful exhale, and I found my eyes wouldn’t move from the glorious display in front of me.
She actually patted her naked thighs before she looked down, as if she didn’t believe me. Meanwhile, my eyes feasted on the sweet mandolin curves below her wrinkled yellow shirt. The sweetly rounded hips, delicious full thighs, and . . .
Wonder Woman underwear.
She was going to kill me. And my cock.
Her awareness seemed to be on a delay, as if she hadn’t quite accepted the reality that she was half-naked. She gaped down at herself for a full five seconds before finally reacting. “Oh, God,” she squeaked, and turned back to the couch to tear through its contents.
Which left her ass facing me, allowing my eyes to devour the sight of the underwear